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Acer Aspire TimelineU M5-481TG Solid State Drive (SSD) Replacement

What you need

  1. Acer Aspire TimelineU M5-481TG Solid State Drive (SSD) Replacement, Keyboard: step 1, image 1 of 1
    • With the laptop closed and powered off, place the laptop screen side down.

    • Turn the laptop so that the hinges are closest to you.

    • Remove sixteen 6 mm screws from the bottom of the laptop with the Phillips #00 screwdriver.

  2. Acer Aspire TimelineU M5-481TG Solid State Drive (SSD) Replacement: step 2, image 1 of 2 Acer Aspire TimelineU M5-481TG Solid State Drive (SSD) Replacement: step 2, image 2 of 2
    • Flip the laptop over and open the lid.

    • Use the plastic opening tool with the half centimeter wide tip to gently separate the bottom case of the laptop from the keyboard.

    • Potential for device damage: Do not apply too much force or you may break the clips.

    • Gently pull the keyboard upwards to a 45 degree angle.

  3. Acer Aspire TimelineU M5-481TG Solid State Drive (SSD) Replacement: step 3, image 1 of 3 Acer Aspire TimelineU M5-481TG Solid State Drive (SSD) Replacement: step 3, image 2 of 3 Acer Aspire TimelineU M5-481TG Solid State Drive (SSD) Replacement: step 3, image 3 of 3
    • Hold the keyboard open with one hand to extend the three cables (white, black and copper) still connecting the bottom of the keyboard to the back case.

    • Be sure you are prying up the hinged retaining flap, not the connector itself.

    • Use your fingernail to flip up the small retaining flap of each zero insertion force connector and then gently pull each ribbon cable out one at a time.

    • The white line on this ribbon cable marks the edge of the connection area. To reinstall, insert the cable into the connector up to this line and then close the retaining flap. If the cable doesn’t insert easily up to (or very near to) this line, it’s probably misaligned and needs to be gently removed and repositioned.

  4. Acer Aspire TimelineU M5-481TG Solid State Drive (SSD) Replacement: step 4, image 1 of 2 Acer Aspire TimelineU M5-481TG Solid State Drive (SSD) Replacement: step 4, image 2 of 2
    • Use both hands to remove the keyboard.

    • Potential for device damage: Do not pull too forcibly or you could damage your keyboard.

  5. Acer Aspire TimelineU M5-481TG Solid State Drive (SSD) Replacement, Battery: step 5, image 1 of 1
    • Gently disconnect the silver cable that stretches over the battery by using your fingernail to flip up the small retaining flaps on both sides of the zero insertion force connector.

    • Potential for device damage: Be sure you are prying up the hinged retaining flap, not the connector itself.

    • The white line on this ribbon cable marks the edge of the connection area. To reinstall, insert the cable into the connector up to this line and then close the retaining flap. If the cable doesn’t insert easily up to (or very near to) this line, it’s probably misaligned and needs to be gently removed and repositioned.

  6. Acer Aspire TimelineU M5-481TG Solid State Drive (SSD) Replacement: step 6, image 1 of 1
    • Remove one 3 mm screw from the side closest to you on the motherboard with a JIS #1 screwdriver.

    • Remove one 4 mm screw from the right side of the motherboard with a JIS #1 screwdriver.

  7. Acer Aspire TimelineU M5-481TG Solid State Drive (SSD) Replacement: step 7, image 1 of 2 Acer Aspire TimelineU M5-481TG Solid State Drive (SSD) Replacement: step 7, image 2 of 2
    • Use your fingernail to flip up the small retaining flap of the zero insertion force connector and then gently pull out the silver ribbon cable.

    • Potential for device damage: Be sure you are prying up the hinged retaining flap, not the connector itself.

    • The white line on this ribbon cable marks the edge of the connection area. To reinstall, insert the cable into the connector up to this line and then close the retaining flap. If the cable doesn’t insert easily up to (or very near to) this line, it’s probably misaligned and needs to be gently removed and repositioned.

  8. Acer Aspire TimelineU M5-481TG Solid State Drive (SSD) Replacement: step 8, image 1 of 2 Acer Aspire TimelineU M5-481TG Solid State Drive (SSD) Replacement: step 8, image 2 of 2
    • Gently disconnect the six bundled cables (red, black, and green) attached to both the battery and motherboard by pinching them with your thumb and forefinger. Pull with moderate force towards the left to disconnect.

  9. Acer Aspire TimelineU M5-481TG Solid State Drive (SSD) Replacement: step 9, image 1 of 3 Acer Aspire TimelineU M5-481TG Solid State Drive (SSD) Replacement: step 9, image 2 of 3 Acer Aspire TimelineU M5-481TG Solid State Drive (SSD) Replacement: step 9, image 3 of 3
    • Gently lift up the black-covered cables that remain connected to the motherboard at the bottom left of the laptop base.

    • Move the cables toward the bottom edge of the laptop closest to you without disconnecting them.

    • Potential for device damage: Do not pull too forcibly or you could damage your motherboard.

    • Carefully lift up the motherboard and slide the battery to the left to pull it out.

    Step 9 the red arrow pointing to that cord, I'm having problems and I think that's the issue I'm having. I bumped it loose and now I cant turn on the laptop with out plugging it in. Please help me figure out what that cord does.

    Tyler Host - Reply

  10. Acer Aspire TimelineU M5-481TG Solid State Drive (SSD) Replacement, Solid State Drive (SSD): step 10, image 1 of 1
    • Use the #J1 Phillips Screwdriver to unscrew two 4 mm #J1 Phillips screws from side of the SSD drive closest to you.

  11. Acer Aspire TimelineU M5-481TG Solid State Drive (SSD) Replacement: step 11, image 1 of 2 Acer Aspire TimelineU M5-481TG Solid State Drive (SSD) Replacement: step 11, image 2 of 2
    • Gently lift up the SSD drive and pull it toward you to remove the drive fully from the laptop.

Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

One other person completed this guide.

Margaret Bruetsch

Member since: 03/07/16

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Marist, Team 1-2, Laflen Spring 2016 Member of Marist, Team 1-2, Laflen Spring 2016

MARS-LAFLEN-S16S1G2

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One Comment

Have an almost-unused M5-481T-6831 to which I'm going to clone the HDD to a Samsung 860 Evo 500GB. My question is whether I should remove the 20GB MSATA SSD while I'm in there, since I doubt it will be used once the 860 Evo is installed?

Douglas Morton - Reply

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